St George's House,
Northern Police Orphanage. 1898-1956  Harrogate, Yorkshire, England.

                    
The Orphanage was founded in 1897 by Miss Catherine Gurney OBE for the care and welfare of
Police Force children who had lost one or both parents. The children were housed at the Northern Police Orphanage,
located on 12 acres of land on Otley Road, Harrogate until they were relocated to Albany Lodge, Hereford Road, Harrogate.     From January 1898 when the first child, Minnie Smith from Sunderland was taken in, until closure in 1956 due to the declining numbers of children in need, a total of 644 children had passed through the doors of St George's (the names of the children cared for can be seen on 'List of Children' page).  Refer following page 'Catherine Gurney', for details of her aims and achievements.

  Albany Lodge.
  From it's inception, St George's House Orphanage operated from Otley Road until January  
  1955, when it was relocated to Albany Lodge,16 Hereford Rd, Harrogate, finally closing it's 
  doors in August the following year.  

St George's House - Management Structure. Reproduced from 1948-49 Annual report

Patron: HIS MAJESTY THE KING

Vice-Patrons:
The Lords Lieutenant of the Northern & Midland Counties and North Wales and the Chairman of Quarter Sessions.

President:
The Right Hon. the Earl of Scarborough, K.G.,G.C.S.I.,G.C.I.E.
      Lord Lieutenant of the West Riding of Yorkshire.

Vice-Presidents:
H.M.Inspectors of Constabulary.
The Chief Constables of County, City and Borough Police Forces in the Northern and North Midland Counties and North Wales,
River Tyne Police and City of Glasgow. 
 
The Christian Police Trust Corporation:    
Hon. Directors:  
Capt. G.E.Banwell, OBE, MC. (C.C.Cheshire)
J. Williamson, Esq, OBE, (C.C. Northampton)
Sir Archibald Hordern, CBE, AFC, (C.C. Lancashire)
L.W.Terry Jupp, Esq
G. Paisley, Esq
Insp. J. Ellis (Lancs)
H.G.Judd, Esq, CBE (Hon Treas)
PC. C.Eccleshall (Salford)
P.S. A.Catto
Capt. W.J. Hutchinson (C.C.Brighton)
R.A.Harris, Esq

General Council: 
The President, Vice Presidents, the Committee, one representative from each Police Force in the Northern & North Midland
Counties of England and North Wales and two members of the Christian Police Trust Corporation.

General & Finance Committee:
Chairman: Major Le G.G.W. Horton-Fawkes, OBE
Sir Geoffrey Burton. KCSI., KCIE (Hon Treasurer)                       G.E.Scott, Esq, OBE, (C.C.Sheffield)
Capt. G.E.Banwell, OBE, MC (CPT Representative C.C.Cheshire)    Lt Col. Sir William H. Ingilby, Bt, J.P.
P.T. Briarly Browne, Esq (C.C.Cumb & West)                             Supt. H. Ambler (Bradford)
Sir Archibald Hordern CBE, AFC (CPT Representative C.C.Lancs)   Lt Col. J.C. Chaytor, DSO, MC, (C.C. North Riding)
Supt. J.L.Dunn (West Riding)                                                 Brigadier J.N.Cheney, OBE (C.C.East Riding)
Insp J. Ellis (CPT Representative) (Lancs)                                Insp. H.Blow (Derby)
R.H.Fooks, Esq. MA, (C.C.Lincs)                                             Sergt. J. Richardson (Sunderland)
Col T.E. St Johnston OBE. (C.C. Co Durham)                             PC. K.Mackreth (Cheshire)
PC. C. Eccleshall (CPT Representative Salford)                          Capt. H.Studdy, CBE  (C.C. West Riding)
J. Chadwick, Esq. (C.C. Huddersfield)                                      Mrs Behrens
R. Hall, Esq. (C.C.Rotherham)                                                 Miss H. Hopkinson
C.G. Looms, Esq. (C.C. Blackburn)                                           Mrs H.A.Ryott
H.S.Price, Esq. OBE  (C.C. Bradford)                                        L. Prosser, Esq. MB. Ch B.
W.Schofield, Esq. OBE  (C.C. Oldham)                                      W.Yeoman, Esq. MD.  

Electoral Committee:
Chairman: Major Le G.G.W.Horton-Fawkes, OBE
Lt,Col. Sir William H. Ingilby, Bt, JP.                                        J. Chadwick, Esq. (C.C. Huddersfield)
P.T. Briarly Browne, Esq (C.C. Cumb & West)                           R. Hall, Esq. (C.C. Rotherham)
C.G.Looms, Esq (C.C.Blackburn)                                             H. S. Price, Esq  OBE (C.C. Bradford)
Lt.Col. J. C. Chaytor, DSO. MC.(C.C.North Riding)                     W.E. Schofield, Esq. OBE (C.C.Oldham)
Brigadier J.N.Cheney, OBE. (C.C.East Riding)                            G.E.Scott, Esq. OBE. MC.(CPT Rep) (C.C.Sheffield)
R.H.Fooks, Esq. MA. (C.C.Lincs)                                            Capt. G. E. Banwell, OBE. MC (CPT Rep) (C.C.Cheshire)
Col.T.E.St. Johnston, OBE. (C.C.Co Durham)                            Sir Archibald Hordern, CBE. AFC. (CPT Rep) (C.C.Lancs)
Capt. H. Studdy, CBE. (C.C.West Riding)      

House Committee:   
Chairman: Major Le G.G.W.Horton-Fawkes, OBE 
Sir Geoffrey Burton. KCSI. KCIE. (Hon Treasurer)                      H. S. Price, Esq  OBE (C.C. Bradford)   
Lt,Col. Sir William H. Ingilby, Bt, JP.                                        W.E. Schofield, Esq. OBE (C.C.Oldham)
Lt.Col. J. C. Chaytor, DSO. MC.(C.C.North Riding)                     Supt. H. Ambler (Bradford)
Col.T.E.St. Johnston, OBE. (C.C.Co Durham)                            Supt. J.L.Dunn (West Riding)
Capt. H. Studdy, CBE. (C.C.West Riding)                                 Insp J. Ellis (CPT Representative) (Lancs)
R. Hall, Esq. (C.C. Rotherham)                                               Sergt. J. Richardson (Sunderland)
PC. C. Eccleshall (CPT Representative Salford)                         Mrs H.A.Ryott
W.Yeoman, Esq. MD.

Chairman of Committees: Major Le G.G.W.Horton-Fawkes, OBE 

Hon. Treasurer: Sir Geoffrey Burton. KCSI. KCIE.
                      Park View Road,Heaton, Bradford.

Lady Superintendent: Miss E. Duke-Turner

Hon. Medical Officer: W.Yeoman, Esq. MD.

Dentisits: Messrs. R.E & C.D. Wood, LDS   
                        G. Rodney Winter, Esq. LDS. RCS

Hon. Surgeons: T. Vibert Pierce, Esq. MB. FRCS
T. Gowans, Esq. FRCS
A.B.Pavey Smith, Esq. MB. FRCS

Hon Solicitor: W.E.Woods, Esq. LLB
                   Messrs. Raworth, Lomas-Walker, Butterworth and Wilkinson.

Auditors: Messrs. Lowrey, Weston & Whalley.

Bankers: Barclay's Bank Ltd, James Street, Harrogate.

Telegrams: "St George's House, Harrogate, 4417"                        



Income
St George's House was maintained by the voluntary subscriptions of the Northern Police Forces of England, Wales and Glasgow. The subscription amounted to twopence or threepence per officer per week and proved a successful method of assuring the regularity of income for the care of the children and maintenance of the House.

Subscriptions and Donations were regularly received from Police Forces, the general public and other organisations, for example in the year April 1, 1948 to 31 March, 1949 St George's was given grants from:

The County Constabularies of:   Cheshire
                                           Cumberland & Westmorland
                                           Derbyshire
                                           Durham County
                                           Lancashire
                                           Lincolnshire
                                           Northumberland
                                           Nottinghamshire
                                           Shropshire
                                           Staffordshire
                                           Yorkshire:  East Riding
                                                          North Riding
                                                          West Riding
                                           York City
                                           Wales
                                           Glasgow
 
                                           Manchester & Salford Police & Fire Brigade Benevolent Fund
                                           Leeds City
                                           Members of the Forces at St Andrew's
                                           Air Ministry Football Club, Pately Bridge             
                                           Birkenhead Police Association for Clothing Destitute Children
                                                      Hull Co-operative Society
                                                      Manchester Country Club
                                                      Northumberland County Council
                                                      Turk's Head Leek Club, Willington Quay  
 
 

  The pages (see list top left), supported by many photographs, tell some of the story of what life was like for the children living
  in an English Orphanage in the late 1800's and early to mid 1900's. In particular, we recommend that you read the stories written
  by some of the old boys and girls describing their experiences, these are located on the Memories page.
 

                                                                                                
                                                                                                 Deus vult